Eat in

Maybe that’s because word has got around about the quality of the beer. Tony Wilson, general manager of the Green Leafe Café in Williamsburg, praises Legend as “one of the best craft breweries in this part of the country. It consistently produces very good beers. Their brown ale in particular is exceptionally good, and every time they put out a seasonal beer, we make sure to have it—a guaranteed seller. When you’re in the business of selling beer, a guaranteed seller is always welcome.”

The fact that Legend sells more beer than any other independent brewery in Virginia is particularly notable given that few people outside of central Virginia have heard of the company or the brand. For nearly all of its existence, about 80 percent of Legend’s sales have been within 50 miles of Richmond. Beer cognoscenti haven taken notice—Legend’s Pilsner was well-received by beer guru Michael Jackson, and its Brown Ale was named a Grand Champion at the 2006 United States Beer Tasting Championship—but most beer lovers looking for the brew have had a hard time finding it. That’s changing now, as the company is steadily broadening its distribution to restaurants around Virginia.

Legend’s fortunes should get an even bigger boost now that it has begun selling the beer industry’s most emblematic product—the six-pack. Believe it or not, Legend did not sell its first 12-ounce beer, much less its first six-pack, until September 2009. Prior to that, Legend only sold its beer in kegs or 22-ounce bottles. Now the firm offers six-packs of its Pale Ale, Lager, Brown Ale, and Golden Ale—an India pale ale. (Those of you looking for porter, pilsner or seasonal beers will have to stick to the 22-ounce bottles.) Beer industry veterans say that consumers are more apt to try new beers sold in 12-ounce bottles (individually or in six-packs)—and that should bode well for Legend as it seeks to become something more than a well-regarded local brand.

As Gott says, “We hope to go wherever beer drinkers are looking for good beer.”

Complex, Malty, Unconventional: Beer pairs well with food. Just make sure of your matchups!

When people think of pairing food and drink, they usually think of wine. You’ve heard the question “What type of wine should I serve with this meal?” Don’t limit yourself. Serving the right beer with your food can be every bit as rewarding, especially for casual occasions. “The same things that make wine and food pair well together make beer and food pair well together,” says Scott Calvert, wine director and self-described “beverage guy” for the famed Inn at Little Washington. Beer and wine can have similar aromas and a similar range of acidity, and Calvert compares the tannins in wine to the hoppy bitterness found in beers.